


The Company We Keep

by Confetti (Kittykat748)



Category: Ouran High School Host Club - All Media Types
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-14
Updated: 2019-02-14
Packaged: 2019-10-28 11:13:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,049
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17786309
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kittykat748/pseuds/Confetti
Summary: Following their high school escapades, the members of the elite club stayed just as close, even as Life pulled each of them in separate directions. Of course, Life also has a way of drawing people back together, creating new ties, all through the company we keep.





	1. Collision

Mori never took much time to consider the future. As the firstborn son, his destiny had been set and any decisions he made were insignificant, barely a blip on the radar. It was this belief that largely contributed to his quiet demeanor. Conversations ebbed and flowed more smoothly when he merely stood by, listening and absorbing. He did not believe that any comment he made would have a large impact.

He found himself in a similar situation while waiting in the terminal of the Narita Airport. His cousin, Mitsukuni, and his wife had insisted the recent university graduate spend time with them when they returned from vacation. While he would have preferred to stay in and work, his father demanded otherwise.

All around him, countless languages were volleyed and returned in quick succession. Muffled clicks of heels on the carpeted floor mixed with the repetitive lull of suitcase wheels in motion. He continued to scan the area for his small cousin, fighting the urge to yawn.

The sound of a ringing phone brought his attention to the young man sitting in the window sill several meters from him. A subtle magnetic pull had Mori turning away from his search and looking at this stranger.

As he answered his phone, it was clear to Mori that the stranger was also a foreigner, if his sun kissed complexion failed to hint at the fact. Every time he spoke he ran his hand through his dirty blonde hair, smoothing it back, changing the part, mussing it up. When the unseen party spoke, he had a wide, toothy grin on his face, as though he could see the person in front of him.  

The way the man sat left Mori perplexed. He had never seen someone sit in this manner comfortably: one leg cross atop the other, the dangling foot wrapped around the stationary calf.

Unnerved, yet intrigued, Mori considered this man further.

Could this person be the foreign man's partner? Were they here in Japan or in another country altogether? What brought him to Japan then?

His musings were interrupted as his older cousin called out his name. Before he turned away from the stranger completely, he heard him utter an odd statement.

"There she is! Finally! We'll be there shortly!"

Mori watched his cousin and wife approach him, only to notice another individual moving in the same direction.

The eyes are attracted to movement, and Mori's eyes betrayed him in that moment.

The woman walking - no, floating - in his direction carried herself with a grace and power he had never seen before. Dainty, elongated fingers swept stray wisps of black hair from her face. Shimmering lips parted and spread into a small smile, halting his breath in his chest.

It was as if a sliver of sunshine landed on Earth and took the form of this woman. She was radiance incarnate. She was unlike any person he'd met in life. 

"Takashi!" Honey exclaimed, pulling his younger cousin into a hug, effectively breaking the hold the woman had on Mori. "So glad you could make it!"

"How was the flight?" Mori asked politely, his eyes on his family. His ears, however, were straining to pick out the woman's voice.

"It was pretty good! Their sweets were as good as the last flight though." Honey pouted as he recalled the paltry selection, telling his cousin of the horrors he had experienced. 

A soft giggle rang out above the din, caressing Mori's ear before snaking around his heart, holding it in an unyielding grip.

Mori forced himself to maintain a stone-like mask. It was then his eyes betrayed him once again, sneaking a final glance at the woman as she departed with the foreign man. The pressure on his heart slowly eased, only to continue its onslaught as he noticed a card lying on the ground where they had been. 

Honey stopped mid-sentence as Mori stepped away from them. He looked where his cousin was headed and noticed a laminated card lying on the ground.  Honey and Reiko shared a knowing look as Mori gently palmed the item.

"Whatcha got, Taka-chan?" Honey asked, walking closer. Standing on tip-toes, leaning against Mori's arm, he peered at the card and noticed a picture of a woman, along with a name and an address.

"She just left," Mori mumbled, eyes still scanning the area as he handed Honey the card, defeated. He yearned for one more look at the goddess he'd seen.

"Not far," Honey assured. "Look! The back says the card belongs to the Tokyo Ballet. Maybe this address is where she'll be heading?"

Reiko walked forward then, peering over her husband's shoulder to examine the card. She peered at Mori, noticing the slight slump in his shoulders.

"Tamaki mentioned a new cake shop opened near there," Reiko mentioned offhandedly. "Perhaps we might do both- return this maiden's card and find some suitable sweets."

Both men looked at each other and nodded in determination. As they gathered their bags, Honey slipped the lost card into Mori's hands. It had been quite some time since he had seen his cousin so filled with emotion, but he would do whatever it took to help him out. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Collision: Any interaction between particles in which they come near enough to influence on another, mostly exchanging energy. Does not always mean an actual impact or contact.


	2. Gather

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In order to indicate shifts in spoken language, I will be utilizing the following:
> 
> << >>
> 
> That way I don't bog you down with translations that bring you out of the moment.

Mitsukuni's personal driver made great time reaching the location displayed on the laminated card, yet Mori could scarcely gather his thoughts with each passing minute. How was he going to keep his cool when confronted by the one person who made his stomach do backflips? He had never, in his entire life, felt so strongly towards anyone, though he spend much of his adolescence surrounded by beautiful women.

As Reiko listened to her husband enthuse about their newest adventure, she watched Mori rotate the small item in his large hands.

A single lightbulb illuminated a dark room.

The car slowed to a stop before the western styled double doors. Hearts pounding, they walked into a swell of classical music rising up from a distance grand piano. 

The receptionist, a petite ballerina, sent them a small nod as they approached the counter. The same male from the airport watched them enter, his elbows resting on the countertop. He slid to one way, keeping a keen eye on the three well-dressed visitors.

<<How may I help you?>> she asked politely.

Honey gave her one of his signature smiles. <<We were wanting to find Young Aileen, please.>> He placed the emphasis on the second vowel in her first name, pronouncing it akin to Irene.

The ballerina turned back towards the young man, who sported a frown.

<<I'm sorry, but I'm not at liberty to ->>

<<Oh, please!>> pleaded Honey, batting his long eyelashes at her. <<We only need to see her for one tiny second.>>

<<We've brought this,>> Mori added, presenting the card to the two. The female gently slid the card into her hand, handing it to the male. He looked Mori directly in the eye, as though trying to deduce how he came to possess her ID.

Recalling his brief glimpse of her, Mori could not control the dusting of pink that spread across his cheek.

A second lightbulb banished the darkness of the room.

The young man looked the three of them over once before turning to the ballerina. Effortlessly, he rose  _en pointe_ , barely leaning onto the countertop to whisper to his fellow dancer. She glanced at them briefly, then back to the male dancer, then towards her computer.

<<I need to see a form of identification to allow you into the rehearsal hall,>> she explained, fingers flying across the keyboard. <<Please consider this a repayment for returning Ms. Young's card.>>

The male dancer rested on the soles of his feet, tapping the ID card to the tip of his chin. He watched as they presented their IDs before turning towards a partially opened door.

"Aileen's practicing now," he said in English, emphasizing the first vowel of her name. "No harm in a little PR for the next show. Plus, she's always eager to thank people for random acts of kindness."

Slowly, he opened the double door and ushered them forward with his free arm. As Mori passed by him, the male dancer held the card up towards Mori's face. Perplexed, he did nothing, only for the dancer to press the card into his chest.

"That's your ticket to an introduction, sweetie. The rest is up to you."

Mori turned to object, but only caught the dancer give him a wink before they were plunged into darkness. The only light in the entire hall came from overtop the various dancers and the baby grand piano.

"Feet, Ladies!" the ballet mistress cried out. "Elegant  _bourre,_ no galloping. Dig deep!"

The young man led them to the spare seats in the back of the hall. Almost immediately, the magnetic pull led Mori's eyes to one particularly long, lithe ballerina in a long sleeved grey leotard. While each dancer performed identical movements, hers were more graceful, more hypnotizing.

"Take four counts to arrive with your arms, and lift! Vision-like. Now keep this smooth." 

Mori couldn't stop watching her, though he appeared disinterested, arms crossed in front of him. He did not recognize the piece of music, nor the story they were conveying, nor did he care. How could he be so mesmerized by a woman he only knew the name of?

He was lulled into a state of trance, paying little mind to the conversation next to him.

Mitsukuni leaned towards the kindly male dancer who showed them inside. He tentatively pat the man's forearm to gain his attention.

<<Which dancer is Aileen-san?>> He asked expectantly.

A smirk crossed the dancer's face as he turned briefly towards Mitsukuni's cousin, who seemed to have zoned out. Returning his attention to the smaller man, he pointed to the taller ballerina.

<<That's her,>> he said. <<Cute, no?>>

Mitsukuni regarded her before nodding. <<Did she just get back to Japan?>>

The male dancer leaned back in his seat, eyes watching the rehearsal before him. He responded slowly, his Japanese stacottoed. 

<<I flew her in for this new ballet the company is considering for next year.>>

<<Really? Why?>>

Mitsukuni watched as he pursed his lips in thought, perhaps piecing together enough Japanese to convey his thoughts.

<<She's good, real good,>> he replied. <<I've danced with her a couple times and wanted to give her a real challenge.>>

The music began to crescendo towards its climax, only to be cut short by the ballet mistress as she corrected another misstep.

<<And they took her just like that?>> Mitsukuni lowered his voice as he asked his follow-up question.

<<Not quite,>> the dancer admitted. <<This is sort of her audition. See how she looks with the others.>>

The music restarted and silenced the two. Aileen's peer watched her with a critical eye, praying she impressed the company executives scattered throughout the audience. Her ability to wow them would determine whether she remained in Japan or returned home. 

The music slowed, softened, and the dancers followed suite. Arms extended, each posed together as the music transitioned to a faster paced piece. The ballet mistress clapped her hands together and the dancers relaxed. Each bowed towards their accompanist, Aileen's bow deeper than the other dancers. As they thanked their mistress and made their way off stage, Aileen remained.

Mori watched as she spoke with the ballet mistress, towering over the smaller woman. Her mouth moved quickly, forming words that didn't appear to be Japanese.

"Come on, handsome," the male dancer whispered in his ear, diverting his attention from the conversation before him. Mori turned and found that both Mitsukuni and Reiko had abandoned their seats, leaving the two of them alone in their row. "Hope you've got your speech ready."

The lights in the atrium burned his retinas as he left the dimly lit hall. After a moment, he caught sight of his cousin and his wife standing off to the side facing the rehearsal hall entrance.

<<Here she comes,>> said the dancer as he stretched his arms above his head. Palms pressed together, he brought them in front of his heart, bowing his head slightly in a silent prayer.

His head shot up and all eyes fell on the woman walking towards them, a small frown line etched in the center of her forehead.

 


End file.
